Uncover Market & Customer Insights

We are preeminent specialists in Jobs to be Done research

Success leaves clues, and through our years of experience and research, we've found that many of the greatest innovation successes can be traced back to a thorough understanding of customer needs.

We use a distinct approach to uncover latent customer needs called Jobs to be Done (sometimes referred to as JTBD, or Jobs-to-be-Done). Popularized by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen -- also our founder’s mentor -- Jobs to be Done views consumer purchases as solutions to a broad spectrum of jobs they are trying to get done in their lives. Christensen's classic example is a milkshake buyer who isn't buying a cold treat but rather a tidy way to alleviate boredom during a long commute.​Jobs to be Done is a broad yet highly rigorous view of where both opportunity and tough competition really lie. It’s an integral part of crafting intuitive, irresistible offerings that leap ahead of the competition--or that create a new category altogether.

Turning Jobs to be Done research into actual business plans

We've spent years perfecting how to apply Jobs to be Done, how to understand the voice of the customer, and how to turn market research into strategy and solutions. The result of our work is the Jobs Roadmap, a repeatable process for developing actionable business plans from customer insights.

Learn more from our client impact story

Case study: Couples and their dining habits

A major food company came to us looking for new ways to target couples at mealtimes. The company saw that the marketplace was trending towards convenience, efficiency, and ready-made food -- like meal replacements and upscale convenience stores. But the data showed that couples were less keen to purchase these prepared foods. What would stick with couples?

New Markets Advisors used Jobs to be Done research to help the food company deeply understand its target segment and innovate in ways that were new to its category.

What jobs do couples have around dining?

Functional jobs:

Eat healthy

Be nourished

Stay within budget

Spend less time on menial tasks like meal planning

Emotional jobs:

Unwind and relax

Bond with my partner

Learn new cooking skills

Try new things and create variety in our meals

Result: A New Product LineThe research was surprising -- even though convenience products were flooding the market, couples were actually willing to spend about 20 minutes together preparing food. Couples were skeptical of all-in-one and ready-made meal solutions, but also were burdened by having to plan a meal from scratch. Rather, they needed a “sous chef” to help them create the meal they envisioned. This led the food company to develop a new line of meal kits where consumers could add their own personal touch to familiar salads and entrées.